Columbia, S.C. – The Charleston RiverDogs split their doubleheader with the Columbia Fireflies, winning game one 3-0 and falling in game two 9-6 at Segra Park on Thursday night.
In game one, pitching set the tone for Charleston as Aidan Haugh fired a seven-inning-complete-game shutout to earn his fourth win of the year. The seven frames marked a career high. Throughout the gem, he tossed just 80 pitches, surrendered no walks and faced four batters over the minimum.
The RiverDogs broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth when Brendan Summerhill lined an RBI triple to center that scored Taitn Gray from first and made it 1-0.
Later in the frame, Brailer Guerrero mashed a titanic two-run homer to right that added insurance and extended the lead to 3-0. Since being activated off the injured list last week, Guerrero has launched three homers.
The performance marked the RiverDogs’ second complete game of the year, as Haugh joins Aidan Cremarosa who tossed a nine-inning no hitter earlier this month. It also earned the them its second win of the shutout variety this season, and first since Cremarosa’s no-hitter on May 8.
In game two, Columbia jumped out in front quickly, when Jhosmmel Zue blasted a three-run homer to push them ahead 3-0.
The Fireflies added on five more runs in the bottom of the second to break the game open and extend their lead to 8-0. Each of their first eight runs were scored with two outs.
Charleston struck for its first runs of the game in the top of the third when Gray slapped a two-run single to left that cut the deficit to 8-2.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Tom Poole scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-3.
After Columbia tallied one more run in the fourth, the RiverDogs responded with two more in the sixth when Gray lined another RBI single to left and Poole drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the deficit to four.
Cooper Flemming tacked on another run in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly to center to cap scoring at 9-6. His 30 runs batted in lead the team.
With the split, Charleston is now 24-24. The two return to Segra Park tomorrow for game four of the series with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. Coverage on the RiverDogs Broadcast Network begins at 5:15 p.m.